“Sugaring Through Time,” a presentation by St. Joe (Indiana) County Parks on the history and economics of tapping trees for maple syrup, is among the new events of the 19th annual Dowagiac Ice Time Festival on Saturday, Feb. 7.

According to Kris Lamphere, festival chair, businesses that would like to sponsor either a street or competition ice carving may still do so by calling the Chamber at 782-8212. Ice carvers will begin production of the street carvings that line Front Street at 7 a.m. with the timed carve-off starting at 1 p.m.

Featured events include the Dowagiac Young Professional’s Snowball Daddy Daughter Dance, Dept. of Public Safety’s Bonfire & S’mores, Lil’ Chippers outdoor games, timber chainsaw carving, the chili crawl at participating restaurants and in-store activities at such locations as Who Knew? Consignment, Dowagiac District Library and Benny’s Barbershop. Specialty shops will also be holding winter clearance sales.

Ice Time was previously profiled by The Chamber Executive Network as one of the many creative ways communities across the nation celebrate winter. Richard Hakes, publisher of the national publication based in Iowa, said winter festivals and special events are “hot” with chambers of commerce across the country, regardless of the climate.